Arbigland House
| Arbigland House | |
| Kirkcudbrightshire | |
|---|---|
 Arbigland House | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NX98985743 |
| Location: | 54°54’5"N, 3°34’37"W |
| Village: | Kirkbean |
| History | |
| Country house | |
| neo-classical | |
| Information | |
| Website: | arbiglandestate.co.uk |
Arbigland House is a neo-classical, Georgian mansion which forms the centre of Arbigland, a coastal agricultural estate with holiday cottages in Kirkcudbrightshire. The estate lies on the coast of the Solway Firth, to the south-east of Kirkbean.[1]
This estate was the birthplace of a local ne'er-do-well, John Paul Jones, who, after a criminal career locally, went to the American colonies: in the rebellion he founded the Continental Navy, and preyed upon British shipping in home waters. He is hailed as the founder of the United States Navy. The cottage where he was born is now the John Paul Jones Cottage Museum, the cottage's having been donated by the Blackett family to the John Paul Jones Museum Trust in 1997.
The estate is best known for agricultural innovation stemming back to the agricultural revolution when farms were laid out by the agricultural improver William Craik. It is currently run as a regenerative dairy operation plus arable and part of the estate has been re-wilded.
The house
Arbigland House is a classical-styled country house of 10,796 square feet. It was built in 1755 by the improving laird and gentleman architect William Craik (1703–98).[2] His daughter - the poet and novelist Helen Craik (1751–1825), lived there until 1792.[3] She was a friend and supporter of Robert Burns, who dined at the House.[4] William's illegitimate son, James Craik, was the first Physician General of the United States Army and personal physician of George Washington.[5] It is a Category A listed building.[6]
Gardens
The gardens have been included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes.[7] They were laid out in the 19th and 20th century by the Blackett family who bought the estate from the Craiks in 1852. Arbigland House and Gardens were sold in 2000 but the rest of the estate is still owned by the Blackett family and currently run by the writer Jamie Blackett. The estate features in his books, Red Rag to a Bull and Land of Milk and Honey.
Outside links
References
- ↑ "Arbigland: Overview". Gazetteer for Scotland. http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst5052.html. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
- ↑ "Basic site details: Arbigland House". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=421531. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
- ↑ Adriana Craciun, "Craik, Helen (1751–1825)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford, UK: OUP, 2004) accessed 29 June 2015.
- ↑ Burns: A Biography of Robert Burns by James Mackay published Alloway Publishing 1992, ISBN 0-907526-85-3
- ↑ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
- ↑ Arbigland House (Category A) - Listing detail (Historic Environment Scotland)
- ↑ Arbigland - Listing: Inventory of Gardens & Designed Landscapes